November 17, 2001	Saturday	Ramazan 1, 1422

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SRINAGAR, Nov 16: A one-day strike on Friday to protest the killing of civilians in US-led air strikes on Afghanistan closed shops and businesses in occupied Kashmir.

The strike was sponsored by a pro-Pakistan group, the Al Umar Mujahideen.

“The strike is to register strong protest against the killing of civilians in US-led strikes in Afghanistan,” a spokesman for Al Umar said.

The strike closed down most shops, banks and businesses in Srinagar, residents said.

However, schools and colleges functioned normally and police said the strike had a “negligible impact” in other parts of the held state.

Local and federal police were stationed in strength around mosques to prevent any protests, officials said.

Some Muslims have been staging pro-Taliban and anti-US protests on Fridays in the past few weeks since the US launched strikes against Afghanistan on Oct 7.

At least ten people were injured on Nov 9, including a photographer, when police used force to disperse several dozen Muslim youths near a mosque. —AFP